collecting solid tumor tissue to identify new treatments

Conditions: Gastrointestinal Cancer; Liver Cancer; Pancreatic Cancer; Melanoma

Summary: background: the nci surgery branch has developed experimental therapies that involve taking white blood cells from patients' tumor or from their blood, growing them in the laboratory in large numbers, and then giving the cells back to the patient. objective: this study will allow tissue samples obtained during the protocol screening process to be used for future and ongoing research in the nci surgery branch eligibility: patients must meet the minimum eligibility criteria for an nci surgery branch treatment protocol design patients will undergo testing and evaluations as required by the appropriate nci surgery branch treatment protocol

background: * recent advances and insights into the molecular pathogenesis of cancer have led to the development of novel molecular and biologic targeted therapies for the treatment of advanced cancer patients. a critical challenge in extending these studies involves the identification and validation of new therapeutic targets for future cancer therapies. * the surgery branch, nci has an interest in identifying novel molecular and biologic targets to facilitate the development of future cancer therapies. in addition, we have the primary responsibility for providing surgical consultative services to the nih. as such, we are uniquely positioned to acquire and perform important studies on solid tumor tissue to help identify therapeutic targets that may have significant clinical ramifications. objectives: - primary objective: to collect biologic samples from patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic interventions for premalignant, primary or metastatic solid tumors for the purpose of identifying novel molecular and biologic therapeutic targets eligibility: * patients \>= 18 years of age with radiographic evidence of, biochemical evidence of, or histologically/cytologically proven solid neoplasms who require diagnostic or therapeutic intervention as a part of the diagnosis and /or standard of care treatment and/or follow up for their neoplasm * patients must have laboratory and physical examination parameters within acceptable limits by standard of practice guidelines prior to planned intervention design: * a tissue acquisition trial in which tissues will be obtained at the time of intervention * tissue and blood will be processed at the time of collection, stored and then transferred to dr. rosenberg s laboratory for further processing. * no investigational therapy will be given. * it is anticipated that 1000 patients will be enrolled over a period of ten years

Eligibility criteria:
* inclusion criteria: * patients must be greater than or equal to 18 years of age. * patients who have a premalignant, primary or metastatic solid tumors based upon either radiographic or biochemical testing, or histological/cytological analysis that requires surgery or biopsy as a part of the standard of care diagnosis, treatment and/or follow up. * patients must have laboratory and physical examination parameters within acceptable limits by standard of practice guidelines prior to biopsy or surgery. * patients must be planning to undergo surgery or biopsy as part of their treatment plan. note: patients will not be enrolled exclusively for the procurement of tissue samples. * patients who agree to undergo leukapheresis must meet the following criteria: * seronegative for hiv * seronegative for hepatitis b surface antigen and seronegative for antibody to hepatitis c. - cbc within normal limits

Keywords: tissue acquisition natural history